Make Willesden Green launch tomorrow at Queensbury Deli

Alex Colas will be launching his independent Make Willesden Green campaign for the 2014 local election in Brent tomorrow. He will be standing in the Willesden Green ward and his launch is at the Queensbury Deli, 68 Walm Lane, Willesden Green (right out of the station and on the left hand side.

The meeting is from 6pm until 7pm.



This is  Alex's platform:

 Make Willesden Green is an independent, grassroots platform that aims to:

•    Make Willesden Green more Democratic: local residents have been poorly represented by local Councillors and mainstream parties. The demolition of  Willesden Green Library Centre serves as a perfect example of how Brent Council put profits before people, ignoring widespread local opposition whilst promoting interests other than those of our neighbourhood. Local democracy requires better representation and more participation. If elected as an independent Councillor, I won’t be under any Party’s whip and will fight incessantly for participatory democracy in our ward and beyond. 
•  Make Willesden Green more Equal: the absence of affordable housing among the 92 luxury flats that will be replacing the Library Centre is a slap in the face to our community. Instead of addressing the chronic housing shortage for ordinary residents, the Council is inviting wealthy investors to speculate in our neighbourhood. In education too, the Council has been complicit in the privatisation of our state-funded schools. Public housing, education and free healthcare are key to achieving a more equal and democratic society. If elected as a Councillor, I will fight relentlessly for a public NHS, for quality state-funded and democratically accountable schools, and for properly designed affordable housing near people’s workplaces. 
• Make Willesden Green Safe: a busy neighbourhood is a safer neighbourhood. We need to protect and create public spaces and amenities where all people (especially children and the less mobile) can walk, rest, play or cycle safely and comfortably. The Library Centre redevelopment has swallowed up the only breathing space we had on the High Street, while other open spaces (like the one opposite Kingsley Court on St Paul’s Avenue) are left derelict. I believe traffic-calming measures and a public realm that is friendly to children, cyclists and pedestrians will make for a safer, more vibrant Willesden Green. 
•   Make Willesden Green Thrive: we need to support independent retailers and businesses in our neighbourhood. A pub like the Queensbury, which serves the community (as well as food and drink); or a shop like the sorely-missed Willesden Bookshop are much more than simple commercial outlets. They act as community hubs, facilitating the interaction between diverse residents, offering valuable services and ultimately encouraging local people to spend on our High Street. They also create sustainable and meaningful employment for many local people. As a Councillor for Willesden Green I would campaign for policies that promote the use of our High Street and champion neighbourhood-oriented enterprises.